Fordham Grad Finds Career as Fashion 'Milliner'

Heather Huey is a fashion designer - a milliner, to be more precise. Millinery is the art of designing hats, but that definition hardly begins to explain what Huey does.

She designs, produces and promotes her creations, all while managing her business. The styles of her hats range from everyday to whimsical. Some of her more elaborate creations could be described as architectural, and with good reason - she holds an architectural degree from Fordham.

After graduating from Stuyvesant High School, a specialized school for math, science and technology in Manhattan, Huey decided to turn in the complete opposite direction by enrolling in an art program at Fordham. Huey graduated in 2002.

"With encouragement from Professor Colin Cathcart, I discovered the beauty of architecture and learned to think and design in three-dimensions," Huey said in an e-mail interview. "I took all the design tools I learned from Colin and made the wild leap into the world of fashion."

The leap did not happen immediately after Huey's graduation from Fordham. A few months after graduation, she still had no definite plans for the future, until her sister, a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, suggested that she turn her love of vintage hats into a living.

"I didn't take her seriously at the time but began to warm to the idea when I realized I didn't have anything else on the horizon that was as intriguing as going into millinery," Huey said.

Huey admired the style portrayed in classic black-and-white films from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. She explained that during this time "a beautiful hat was not just an accessory but an integral part of a woman's outfit."

Soon, Huey enrolled as a part-time continuing education student at FIT, taking millinery and design classes. After two years, she left the program to try to make a living as a milliner.

"Everything was and still is the biggest challenge in starting my own business," she said. "It is a never-ending series of problems and issues when you're your own boss: financial concerns, deadlines, creative blocks, numerous errands to run, keeping up with production, sales and public relations. Everything is on your shoulders until you can afford help."

Despite gaining recognition for her work, Huey stresses the fact that her line of work is not yet a profitable one. Handmade hats are not nearly as popular as more mainstream, mass-produced ones. That is not to say that Huey has not experienced success in her work, as well. She designed dramatic headpieces for an episode of Bravo's TV show "Make Me a Supermodel," and has made custom hats for singer Erykah Badu. Then, this past September ,during New York Fashion Week, her hats went down the runway at Bryant Park as part of "Project Runway" winner Christian Siriano's Spring 2009 collection.

Huey met Siriano last summer when she was asked to provide hats at his photo shoot for online retailer Bluefly.com. The pair exchanged business cards and later met to discuss a collaboration for the show.

She is also a founding member of The Milliner's Guild, an organization for local milliners. Huey said that the Guild came about when a main supplier announced that he would be going out of business. Now the organization aims to educate the public about millinery and create a community for the profession, which is small compared to other areas of fashion.

Huey aims to continue to push herself creatively in order to grow as a designer and businesswoman. She also aspires to be continually relevant in fashion. Just as fashion trends change, her favorite hat changes constantly. Her most memorable hat so far, though, is one that she designed four years ago - a large, dramatic piece that has become her trademark.

Huey's advice to students who are interested in becoming involved in fashion, art or design is to be committed.

"You have to love it, and I mean really love it," she said. "Otherwise, pack up your bags and find a more stable career. Those who willingly suffer for their art understand the sacrifices you have to make in order to continue to do what you love because you can't imagine doing anything else in life."

Huey has a long way to go before she can sit back and watch her business prosper, but she has learned plenty about what makes her profession so extraordinary.

"I've learned that a hat does not make a woman confident, but that a confident woman makes the hat," she said.